In this month's newsletter from Keene State, we renovate historic Fiske Hall, publish an atlas, seek SnowOwls, and offer a full schedule of concerts, games, and other events.

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The Word Along Appian Way

If These Walls Could Talk
At the founding of Keene Normal School in 1909, the city of Keene contributed the Hale and Fiske properties on Main Street to the new school so there would be a campus. On land behind those houses, Parker Hall and Fiske Hall were built in 1914-15 to form two sides of the historic quadrangle that is still the heart of the campus.

Starting in December, residents of Fiske will move to the brand-new Pondside III so that construction crews can begin a complete renovation of the interior of the venerable building. The administrative offices in the Fiske Annex, built in the 1930s, will also be renovated at the same time; both projects will be finished by August 2007.

According to Jay Kahn, vice president for Finance and Planning, Fiske's historic look will be maintained while facilities for residents will be brought up to the standards of our other residence halls.

Fiske, which will have 87 beds (down from current 100), will keep its intimate feel, but new windows, flooring, heat, and lighting will make life much more comfortable. On the Quad side, three new Palladian windows will flood light into the building, and a new single entryway will bring students into the common areas.

Great Hall, at the suggestion of alumni, will be reconfigured to provide active and quiet spaces; ceiling fans and wall sconces will recall the art nouveau decor of the early 20th century. The old Great Hall partition will move to the third-floor study space overlooking the Quad.

As KSC's oldest and quirkiest residence hall, Fiske holds many memories and stories for alumni. Were your bunk beds stacked up in a room the size of a broom closet? Did you eat family-style meals in the dining room, nervously meet your date in Great Hall, or ever return to your old room during Reunion weekends? Send your stories to alumni@keene.edu or to Fiske Memories, c/o Barry Alumni Center, Keene State College, 229 Main Street, Keene, NH 03435-2701.

An Atlas for the Ocean StateKlaus Bayr, professor of geography, and his talented cartography students have published the third New England state atlas designed for classroom use by third and fourth graders.

The Rhode Island Atlas joins previous volumes on New Hampshire and Vermont. Colorful maps, charts, and graphs present facts on history, demographics, climate, transportation, agriculture, diversity, and other facets of life in our smallest state, which is formally known as the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations. Lesson plans, quizzes, and other materials for teachers are part of the package.

Professor Bayr said that the Massachusetts volume is scheduled for publication in 2007. Bayr, who is planning to retire in two years, may be able to work on the Maine volume, and is trying to entice Ben Spaulding '04, now in graduate school for geography at the University of Connecticut, to complete the Connecticut atlas there.

Professor Bayr said the entire project started in 2004 with a faculty development grant and some supplemental funding from KSC. Since then, money from the sales of one volume has gone toward the production of the next. Each atlas costs $7; they are available from the New Hampshire Geographic Alliance at www.nhga.net/atlas.htm. For more information, e-mail kbayr@keene.edu.

For the latest news on their tournament successes, check www.keene.edu/athletics. Our crack Sports Information team posts stories and scores almost before they happen.

It might be that the excitement generated by Midnight Madness, which kicked off the basketball season during the wee hours of October 28, kindled a certain synergy that helped other Owl teams into the postseason. We'll never know for sure, but having a bunch of screaming fans never hurt any team!

Family Legacies ProjectIn anticipation of KSC's centennial in 2009, the Alumni Association and Alumni and Parent Relations Office are seeking graduates of Keene Normal School, Keene Teachers College, and Keene State College who are related to each other. Please help us grow our KSC Family Legacies Tree!

E-mail names, relationships, and class years to alumni@keene.edu or send the information to KSC Family Legacies, Barry Alumni Center, Keene State College, 229 Main Street, Keene, NH 03435-2701.

Attention, SnowOwls!Are you a snowbird (or SnowOwl?) heading south for the winter? If so, please be sure to update your seasonal address with the Alumni and Parent Relations Office to continue receiving correspondence, including Keene State Today, as well as invitations to alumni regional community events.

Ask the Owl wonders:
Anyone who was at KSC during the 1970s probably ate at the Square Meal on St. James Street. The restaurant was a wonderful place for students to hang out, work, and eat. Does anyone have the recipe for the Square Meal's famous Coffee Toffee Pie?

A free KSC baseball cap and maybe even a slice of pie will be awarded to the winner! Send your answers to newsline@keene.edu.

Answer to last month's question
Last month's Ask the Owl wondered: What was the original use of Kathy Karr's office in Central Stores?

Judy Powers '98, who works at Keene State as an administrative assistant to the History, Modern Languages, and Women's Studies Departments, knew the answer right off: it used to be the morgue for Elliot Hospital.

Jeff's Journal
I recently attended the first meeting of the alumni subcommittee for the College's centennial celebration. We shared some ideas for events and projects that would inspire alumni participation and attendance. Your input is also needed.

Please tell us your ideas for events and projects or let us know if you would like to be involved by e-mailing the alumni committee cochairs, Frank Easton '75 at FBEaston@aol.com or Deb Murray '99 at Debora@prexar.com.

You may also contact the Alumni and Parent Relations Office by e-mailing alumni@keene.edu or calling 603-358-2369 or 800-KSC-1909, option 6.

Reunion 2007 - Save the Date!
Reunite, reminisce, and reconnect in Keene for Reunion 2007: June 1-3, 2007. All alumni are encouraged to attend. Visit the Reunion homepage for schedule updates: www.keene.edu/alumni/reunion.cfm.

Classes ending in "2" or "7" will honor their special anniversaries. The Alumni and Parent Relations Office is looking for volunteers to help plan these celebrations. Are you willing to help plan a class dinner, a gathering during Reunion Weekend, or other events for your class? An Alumni and Parent Relations Office staff member would be delighted to assist you.

We'd Like to Hear from YouKSC Newsline is sent monthly by e-mail because it is fast, up-to-date, and (let's be honest) saves on printing and postage. We hope it will be a good way for you to stay current on campus life and feel connected to the College community.